Continuing a week of chasing late models, Friday found us making our first visit of the season to the Larry Richardson promoted C J Speedway in Columbus Junction, Iowa. The SLMR east series would be the featured class this evening with the five regular Friday night IMCA classes filling out the card making up the Tony Stewart Memorial event.
One hundred five cars filled the pit area in front of a packed grandstand. It has been a while since I witnessed folks arriving late to the track and searching for an empty seat, except perhaps during the county fair! Although still a warm and humid evening, it was very comfortable beneath the covered grandstands.
Twenty eight SLMR late models topped the bill, and after hot laps, they held their time trial session. Chad Holladay, from just up the road in Muscatine took his laps somewhere early in group B and set the quick mark of 19.599 seconds around what I believe is considered a four tenths mile oval. The field was split into four heat race groups, the top six in time trial order inverted in each eight lapper, and passing/finishing points used to qualify the top sixteen for the feature event. Jonathon Brauns from row two, series point leader Justin Kay from the outside pole, Joel Callahan, and Jeff Larson, both from inside row two, picked up heat race wins. While I am not a fan of time trials, the invert and passing points format does make for more interesting heat races!
The remaining twelve cars contested a ten lap B main with the top four moving on to the money race. Jeff Tharp picked up the win from his pole position start. Two provisional starters, Curt Schroeder the ageless Gary Webb were then added to complete the twenty two car feature grid.
IMCA sport compacts would run the first feature. Only eight cars signed in, and they all took the green flag. Jake Benischek was the pole sitter, and he simply ran away from the field in the non stop ten lapper. Behind him, there was intense battles going on. Shane Barnes held the second spot before giving it up on lap four to Alex Hayes, who then found himself challenged by Darin Smith. At the checkers, it was Benischek, Smith, Hayes, and Barnes. William Michel nosed out Caleb Giese to round out the top five.
The sixteen lap IMCA stock car main was another runaway. Kenny O'Donnell paced the opening circuit from the pole as third starting Johnny Spaw tried to work inside him. On the second lap, Spaw jumped to the top side coming off turn two and grabbed the lead. The caution came on lap three for Jordon Gerling, and as racing resumed, Spaw opened a nearly straightaway advantage. When Gerling brought out his second caution on lap eleven, Spaw had a lead approaching a half track. On the restart, a spinning O'Donnell brought out a final yellow, and Dustin Vis was invited to join him at the back of the pack. During the break, Kirk Kinsley gave up a top three restart to duck to the pits for quick repairs. Matt Picray and Rod Staats locked in a side by side duel for second before Tom Cannon joined the action. The checkers waved for Spaw, Picray, Cannon and Staats, while Leah Wroten made a late charge to complete the first five.
It was now late model time, with twenty five laps for $3,000. Holladay jumped to the lead from outside row one, with pole sitter Jason Hahne in his tracks in second. Holladay opened about a four car length advantage in the early laps, and Hahne would occasionally draw closer before slipping back. The first yellow flag came at lap eleven just as the front duo was catching the back of the pack. Disaster struck on the restart as contact sent Dave Eckrich up the track in turn one, creating a five car melee. After a rather lengthy delay for clean up, the race stayed green the rest of the way. Holladay again opened a several car length lead over Hahne as Luke Goedert eased past Charlie McKenna for third. Kay entered the top four on lap thirteen. The leader again caught slower traffic four laps from the checkers, and as he tried to find a way around Corey Dripps, Hahne was able to close the gap. However, he was not able to mount a challenge, and Holladay picked up the flag to flag win. Hahne, Goedert, Kay, and McKenna turned in top five finishes. Callahan ran sixth ahead of Todd Cooney, sixteenth starting Matt Ryan, Larson, and Spencer Diercks.
Logan Anderson was on his way from his front row start to another victory in IMCA sport mod action as we headed for the gate. Logan Veloz advanced seven spots to claim second in front of Shane Paris, Trey Rock, and Shaun Slaughter. Jake Benischek made it two for two with the IMCA hobby stock victory, and Jarrett Brown continued his dominance at C J with the IMCA modified win.
Thanks to Larry and the gang at Columbus Junction for an always entertaining evening of racing action. We hope to make it back to the Louisa County Fairgrounds facility when the MLRA late models make an appearance on Friday, July 1. Will this be the county fair? Either way, we will remember to get there early!
Today, I will celebrate fifty two years of wedded bliss with Mary, then Sunday it will be back to the Adams County, Illinois Speedway, with make up features for the Pro late models and 4 cylinders along with the regular card.
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